2 Mariners earn Gold Glove awards and further accentuate problem with 2024 team

The 2024 Mariners really did have all of the necessary parts of a playoff roster ... except for their offense. And that was further proven with the Gold Glove winners officially announced on Sunday evening.

Cal Raleigh and Dylan Moore finally have individual awards to show for their contributions to the team, and they earned it in a notable manner.

There were several competitive candidates for the best defensive backstop in the American League. Along with Raleigh, Freddy Fermin of the Royals and Jake Rogers of the Tigers received nominations. Fermin and Rogers had 16 and 13 Defensive Runs Saved, respectively, but fell just short of Raleigh's mark of 17. In particular, Raleigh dominated in the strike zone, accumulating 13 Framing Runs, per Statcast, second only to Patrick Bailey, who led MLB with 16.

While many have rightfully credited the pitching staff for their incredible work this year, perhaps Raleigh is also owed credit for calling games and expanding the zone better than (almost) everyone. With his success with the bat and glove, perhaps it's time to ensure that he's a part of the Mariners for a little while longer.

Mariners News: Cal Raleigh, Dylan Moore capture 2024 Gold Glove award

Moore won the award for the utility position, an new category for a player who has spent 100+ major-league innings at every position except catcher. He played six positions in 2024 alone, primarily in the infield, and still managed just five errors and a fielding percentage of 98.9%. His fellow utility nominees included Mauricio Dubón of the Astros and Willi Castro of the Twins, but Castro didn't have as much positional flexibility and Moore spent more time in demanding defensive role, specifically at shortstop in JP Crawford's absence. Seattle still has some work to do on their infield this offseason, but even if they've still got a gap or two, Moore is the man to fill it.

Outside of a few new trophies for a few lucky team members, what are the broader implications for the organization? In the future, it could mean a higher arbitration salary for Raleigh. He's already projected to receive close to $6 million for 2025 but could get a little more cheese for his efforts behind the dish. Moore is already signed to a $3.7 million salary for 2025, so he's stuck with the money he has but if he's able to repeat or take a step forward next season, his price tag could increase for 2026.

Like all news in the winter, everything tends to tie back to payroll. In addition to retaining pieces of the existing roster, it also proves that the Mariners are quite set on pitchers and competent fielders. If they do choose to meaningfully increase payroll, a big bat must be a top priority, as the offensive ineptitude further proves to be the reason Seattle narrowly missed out on the 2024 postseason. All the signs are there for the front office.